Technical Field
This disclosure relates to digital camera systems, and more specifically, to optimization of shutter speed for improved performance in low-light situations.
Description of the Related Art
Nearly all digital cameras available today automatically configure a multitude of photo capture parameters in order to optimize photographic performance. These parameters include shutter speed, digital gain (ISO), and aperture size. In order to configure these parameters, the camera processes sensory information gathered from a variety of sensors—including accelerometers and gyroscopes that measure motion of the camera and light sensors that measure the luminance of a scene. In most cases, a single auto-exposure (AE) algorithm, which is executing continuously on the camera, integrates and processes this and other sensor information and optimizes each of the photo capture parameters at the time of photo capture.
Standard auto-exposure algorithms typically produce high-quality results when a scene is sufficiently illuminated. Examples include professional photo shoots, outdoor daytime shooting, and indoor shooting with artificial light. However, in low-light situations, especially when either the camera or objects in the scene are in motion, auto-exposure algorithms often fail to produce high-quality results. Photos are often too dark, too grainy, or too blurry.